Home Brew Recipe Scaling Tool from 5 Gallon to Any Size

Scale ingredients, hop utilization, and process times when increasing batch size from 5 gallons based on recipe type, equipment, and efficiency to maintain flavor balance.

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Scaling up for parties or competitions.

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We ask for original batch size, target batch size, recipe type, boil-off rate, mash efficiency, hop utilization change, and current scaling issue because these adjust ingredients correctly. These inputs keep flavor balanced. Limitation: the tool uses average efficiencies. Boil-off and hop loss vary by setup. Test gravity and adjust.

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Recipe Scaling and Brewing Tips

Scaling Ingredients

When scaling a recipe, we will adjust the ingredient quantities based on your selected batch size. For a 5-gallon batch, let’s break down the components.

Ingredients

• Malt Extract: For an extract brew, you typically use about 1 lb of extract per gallon. For a 5-gallon batch:
  • 5 lbs of Malt Extract (5 gallons x 1 lb/gallon)

Hops

Since you're using a larger boil which can lead to lower IBU (International Bitterness Units), we will adjust the hops for utilization. Here's a general formula for hop utilization:

Utilization = (0.1 * (Boil Time in Minutes) * (Gravity Factor))

Where the Gravity Factor is adjusted based on your specific gravity. Assuming an average gravity for extract brewing of around 1.050, the factor will be roughly 1.0.

Hops Calculation Example

1. Boil Time: 60 minutes (typical for many recipes)
2. Utilization:
   • Utilization = 0.1 * (60) * (1.0) = 6.0%
3. Adjusted Hops: If the original recipe calls for 1 oz of hops, scale it down based on your utilization:
   • Original: 1 oz
   • New: (1 oz / 6.0%) = 0.17 oz (for a more precise flavor adjustment)

Water

For brewing, a common rule of thumb is to use 1 gallon of water per pound of malt extract. However, you will need to account for boil-off during the brewing process.

Boil-Off and Efficiency

Boil-Off

Boil-off is the amount of water that evaporates during the boiling process. Generally, you can expect about 1 gallon per hour of boil-off, but this can vary based on the size of your kettle and the intensity of the boil.

Calculate Water Needed

If your total boil time is 60 minutes and you expect to lose 1 gallon, you should plan for:

• Total Water Needed = Batch Size + Boil-Off = 5 gallons + 1 gallon = 6 gallons

Efficiency

Brewing efficiency refers to how effectively you extract sugars from your malt. If you’re unsure of your efficiency, a general estimate for extract brewing is about 70-75%.

To calculate your efficiency, use the formula:

Efficiency = (Actual Gravity / Expected Gravity) x 100%

Tips for Successful Brewing

1. Measure Accurately: Use a scale for precise ingredient measurements.
2. Monitor Temperature: Keep an eye on the boiling temperature for consistent results.
3. Adjust for Losses: Always account for losses during transfer and fermentation.
4. Taste Test: Take notes on flavors and make adjustments in future batches.

Final Scaled Recipe

• Malt Extract: 5 lbs
• Hops: 0.17 oz (adjust based on your final utilization)
• Total Water: 6 gallons

Brought to you by TheToolCollective.com

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The Tool Collective are a multi talented group of passionate hobbyists on a mission to create highly useful and intelligent decision making tools to help others who share our passion and interests. Home brewing is a new hobby for a few of us, in addition to our already passionate cooking/gardening crowd. Being able to craft your own style of beer or wine is truly a self fulfilling hobby and one you can certainly impress your friends and family with. Not to mention the home brew community is large and growing exponentially, so we decided to make a big batch of decision tools for this community to help level-up their setups and master their craft. Enjoy, and happy brewing!

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Made with The Tool Collective's signature model. We combine an AI engine which process the user's input choices and runs it through our specifically designed logic and reasoning parameters for that tool to curate a precise and organized output. An enthusiast knowledgeable in the tool category designs the tools inputs and input choices, writes custom logic parameters, and defines the output format and requirements. The AI engine powers the system and creates a lightning fast, highly intelligent decision tool, which is always up-to-date with current pricing and publicly available information on whatever the tool is designed for. Combines all of the internets resources into one.

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